USED CAR REVIEW

Source of information: www.autospeed.com

WHEN Fiat first launched the coupé, there was only one word to describe it: wow! Designed by Chris Bangle before he parked himself at BMW, this was one very sexy coupé that looked not only great on the outside but also on the inside with its painted dash and racing seats. Local importer Torino Motors had a surefire hit on its hands and it managed to sell quite a few units despite the rather high selling price of RM$168,000 for the range topping 20 Valve Turbo.

For the asking price you got thoroughbred looks, a brawny 220bhp – good for 250km/h and 0-96km/h in 6.5 seconds. Every single one of those 220 kicking horses is harnessed to a nimble chassis via a six-speed gearbox. Although its assertive looks cry out for the open road, good steering feedback, light clutch, smooth gearchange, and abundance of torque makes town driving a breeze and single lane overtaking great fun as you run up the rev range almost instantly!

To stop in time ABS-assisted Brembo brakes (painted bright red and showing off through the five angular shaped spokes 16-inch alloy wheels) are powerfully reassuring. Despite the immense amount of power the engine generates from this small cubic capacity, the fuel consumption, at 8.8km/l overall, is outstandingly good.

The comfortable interior is strikingly set off by the startling, body-coloured, painted metal dash and white background instrumentation. Inside, it’s much bigger than you would imagine: a real four-seater. Recaro seats are supportive, and a steering wheel that adjusts for height and depth: a real boon. And that red push-button ignition on the fascia never fails to generate a frisson of excitement every time the coupé is fired up.

Fiat gives you a lot for your money: starting with ABS, remote central locking, twin airbags, power steering, tinted glass, power windows/mirrors, leather upholstery, leather covered steering wheel, automatic air conditioning, smart alloys wearing 225/45 Pirelli P-Zeros, and Viscodrive traction control. There’s even an easily accessible large sized boot that will swallows a couple of golf bags if placed well.

Built by Pininfarina, this bargain-basement priced Ferrari alternative is as good to look at as it is to look out of. Problems with a used Coupé Turbo start with hefty prices for certain replacement parts like the sensors on the brakes, replacement body panels and blown turbos. Bear in mind that this is a car sitting in the supercar league so prices should reflect that. Interior plastic trim does not hold up well in our climate. Cracks and ‘soft’ plastic are common and replacement expensive.

Leather seats need occasional treatment or they will start cracking and stitch seams will come apart. Front tyres get worn fast with a heavy right foot. Servicing is simple enough and a Fiat specialist is available to ensure all problems are rectified fast. Torino Motors itself has facilities to cater to that and it still has spares stocked up.

Prices on the other hand will lead you to ignore all that was said in the preceding para and run out and buy one. A 10-year-old 1995 NON turbo will sell for as low as RM$50,000 but this gives you only the ‘go fast looks’ and only 150 horses. A well-maintained year 2000 20V turbo with full service history will sell from RM$90,000 and somewhere in between, you might get a decent unit.

Rumour has it that Torino Motors still has unregistered units for sale sitting in its warehouse. So, maybe with some negotiations you could get an ultra low mileage newly registered Fiat Coupé Turbo for slightly more that a used registered one. Worth a look!

Source of information: www.autospeed.com